Shiva Purana — Rudra Samhita, Shloka 44

पार्वत्याः पितृगृहगमनं तथा मङ्गलस्वागतम् | Pārvatī’s Return to Her Father’s House and the Auspicious Welcome

Devanagari script

शैलो ददर्श तं तत्र विष्णुरूपधरं द्रुतम् । किरीटिनं कुण्डलिनं पीतवस्त्रं चतुर्भुजम्

Transliteration

śailo dadarśa taṃ tatra viṣṇurūpadharaṃ drutam | kirīṭinaṃ kuṇḍalinaṃ pītavastraṃ caturbhujam

Translation

その場で、シァイラ（ヒマラヤ）は、ヴィシュヌの姿をとって速やかに現れた彼を見た――冠を戴き、耳飾りを着け、黄の衣をまとい、四臂を具えていた。

Word by Word

• शैलः: the mountain (Himālaya)
• शैलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शैल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• ददर्श: saw
• ददर्श: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• विष्णु-रूप-धरम्: bearing the form of Viṣṇu
• विष्णु-रूप-धरम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक) + धृ (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—षष्ठी-तत्पुरुषः (विष्णोः रूपम्) + ‘धर’ (धृ-धातोः ण्वुल्/अच्-प्रत्ययान्त कर्तृवाचक)

• द्रुतम्: swift
• द्रुतम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: द्रुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत्—“swiftly/quick”

• किरीटिनम्: wearing a crown
• किरीटिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: किरीटिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘-इन्’ प्रत्ययान्त विशेषण—“crowned”

• कुण्डलिनम्: wearing earrings
• कुण्डलिनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कुण्डलिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘-इन्’ प्रत्ययान्त—“earringed”

• पीत-वस्त्रम्: wearing yellow garments
• पीत-वस्त्रम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पीत (प्रातिपदिक) + वस्त्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—कर्मधारय (पीतम् वस्त्रम् यस्य/पीतं वस्त्रम्)

• चतुर्भुजम्: four-armed
• चतुर्भुजम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् (प्रातिपदिक) + भुज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (चत्वारो भुजाः यस्य)

Speaker

Sūta Gosvāmi (narrating to the sages of Naimiṣāraṇya)

Shaiva Theology

Tattva Level: pati

Shiva Form: Mahādeva

Jyotirlinga Context

Sthala Purana: Not a Jyotirliṅga episode; the Lord employs a Viṣṇu-like guise as a revelatory concealment to test and instruct Himālaya within the Pārvatī narrative.

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Himālaya (Śaila)

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in the Shiva Purana?

The verse highlights the Lord’s freedom to assume a saguna (perceivable) form suited to the devotee and the moment, reminding seekers that the One Supreme is not limited by a single outward appearance.

How does this verse relate to the worship of the Linga or Saguna Shiva?

Just as the Liṅga points to the limitless Nirguṇa Reality while remaining a tangible focus for worship, this Viṣṇu-like appearance illustrates how the Divine can be approached through recognizable forms without reducing the Supreme to the form itself.

What ritualistic or meditative practice is suggested here?

Practice dhyāna on the chosen divine form (saguna upāsanā) while repeating the Pañcākṣarī mantra—“Om Namaḥ Śivāya”—to steady devotion and see beyond outer form to the indwelling Lord.